Ways of Knowing Food: Bridging biodiversity, tradition, and nutrition in the Peruvian Andes

This is a case study from Foodomics & Society, Module 1: Ways of Knowing Food. The Andes are home to more microclimates than anywhere else in the world and for many millennia the region’s indigenous peoples have cultivated and stewarded a cornucopia of agrobiodiversity while safeguarding and adapting intergenerational knowledge of food and traditional foodways. This case study introduces learners to an indigenous elder and farmer, who discuss the importance of the diverse and nutritious foods they produce on their farm to their family, community, and cultural identity. We learn about community efforts to incorporate local traditional foods into school meals, inspiring and educating future generations to preserve these foodways that are deeply interwoven with the region’s rich cultural and culinary heritage. The case study also presents perspectives from a nutritionist and scientist working with these communities, emphasizing the interconnectedness of preserving this traditional knowledge and diversity of foods with promoting nutrition security and building local resilience to climate change.